Re: What is a typical night?

I strive to not have a typical night.

I usually, but not always, have something alcoholic in an evening, be it a beer, cocktail, or straight bourbon. I don't drink soda unless I'm mixing, and water gets a bit tiring by the end of the day. This week I didn't have anything alcoholic until Wed, and that was just a beer. Last night I had a beer and 3 pours. Tonight I'll be out of town so who knows, but you can bet I'll be bringing a little something with me just in case.

"this hobby is supposed to be fun. When it stops being fun, check yourself, because you're doing it wrong." Charles Cowdery

Re: What is a typical night?

Originally Posted by spinningrecords

If I drink every night then I tend to get into habit of having a drink every night. Of course the same would be true of a bowl of ice cream every night too. Anything I have regularly I'll tend to end up craving regularly. ... I think it's fair to say if your are drinking often and in quantiy you'll end up dependent to some extent.

Originally Posted by CoMobourbon

I agree that not being able to stop is a bad sign, but generally drawing good / bad divides only serves to justify yourself.

I guess I would also add one more distinction. For me, it's all about how much it does or does not affect my plans and/or preconceptions for the night. While I enjoy ice cream a lot, I never really look forward to it for more than twenty minutes or so, and I would definitely not structure the evening around it. Sometimes with alcohol, though, it becomes a centerpiece of my plans for the whole evening - as if drinking it was a totally self-sufficient point of the night (and not relaxation, or unwinding, or socializing, etc.).

Originally Posted by Young Blacksmith

I strive to not have a typical night.

I usually, but not always, have something alcoholic in an evening, be it a beer, cocktail, or straight bourbon. I don't drink soda unless I'm mixing, and water gets a bit tiring by the end of the day. This week I didn't have anything alcoholic until Wed, and that was just a beer. Last night I had a beer and 3 pours. Tonight I'll be out of town so who knows, but you can bet I'll be bringing a little something with me just in case.

I'm glad someone brought up the dark side of booze, because I can't help but think about it when I consider how much I drink. Like Young Blacksmith, I try not to think of it in terms of having a typical night. I probably drink more than I should, but that's mostly an intellectual judgement rather than a conclusion based upon behavioral or health problems; I'm still relatively young.

I've been on guard about the seductive downward spiral of alcoholism since my early-20's (I'm 34 now). Ideally, I would have no alcohol Monday-Wednesday, a tipple or two on Thursday, open the flood-gates Friday and Saturday and taper down on Sunday. I experience psychological effects of 'dependence' or addiction much more than physical ones. I know of no history of alcoholism in my family, but I imagine that physical dependence would be more of an issue if alcoholism ran in my family.

I love thoughtful tasting, and I will relish every sip I have, but I also enjoy the buzzing momentum of going many drinks into an evening. One of the profound pleasures of whiskey is that taste and effect come hand in hand.

So, I go through phases. I'm much better at beginning healthy habits than I am at ending unhealthy ones. When I'm working out regularly, I drink less, mostly because I have less time to drink. A typical evening for me over the last few months has probably been to get a two-finger pour in before dinner, beer or a glass or two of wine with dinner, then up to three or four more 2-finger pours after dinner. That's living loose, and I don't consider it particularly healthy for me.

Originally Posted by spinningrecords

My understanding is once your addicted that's bad news. Your soon to be done with this as a hobby or lifestyle and on your way to real trouble. There's no going back to casual drinking for addicts in nearly all cases. An outcome to avoid to be sure.

I will fight for my right to continue to enjoy drinking. That means using whatever will I have to correct unhealthy habits before they get the better of me, because I agree, once you become a slave to the bottle, your days of drinking are done. The deeper we get into the appreciation of whiskey, the more we have to lose should we allow it to wreak havoc on our lives.

"A man comes from the dust and in the dust he will end-- In the meantime it is good to drink whiskey."
-->WhiskeyWonka<--

Re: What is a typical night?

If I'm in the mood, I'll have a 1 to 1.5 oz taste about 3 nights a week, or I fix a cocktail. Weekends, I like to have folks over, and if there is a guy or gal who appreciates whiskey, I'll do a little mini-tasting with my nicer stuff. I think I get as much enjoyment from sharing my premium juice as I do drinking it myself.

Re: What is a typical night?

I worry about my consumption patterns sometimes, having a sibling who's in AA. I find that drinking always causes me to need more sleep, so I do my best to not drink Sunday through Thursday nights, though I allow myself a 1-drink exception here and there. Friday and Saturday nights I let myself drink as much as I want, which is some nights 2-3 drinks and other nights a few more than that.

My main rule I've set for myself is to only drink when I'm generally happy/content. If I'm stressed or down about something, I don't let myself drink so as not to start associating alcohol with medicating problems.

Re: What is a typical night?

Over the last 6 months my consumption has been limited because my wife is pregnant. And in support of her I only drink behind her back. I feel its just rude to rub it in that I can drink and she cant. So I am down to 2-3 nights having 1-2 drinks

Re: What is a typical night?

In a week
Last night, a glass of bowmore 12 at dinner and 3 glasses of vintage cutty sark and a spaten at a party.
Wednesday, a glass of WLW 2011 in the afternoon to celebrate seeing an old friend who lives in Europe, a glass of WT86 from the 80's to taste and 3 glasses of Willet rye at dinner.
Tuesday, 3 glasses of vintage black & white scotch around dinner.
Monday, 2 glasses of Willet rye during dinner.
Sunday, a glass of springbank before seeing a film.
Saturday, 2 glasses of a blend I made.
Friday, 3 glasses of macphail's hp and a glass of Jameson at a party.

Re: What is a typical night?

It's an interesting question for sure. I consider myself lucky that I really, really don't enjoy getting drunk anymore. Really the only time I get past a mild buzz is if I'm hanging with friends and we just don't want to break up the party. But even then inebriation isn't the goal (my, how things change once you grow up).

But even with that level of self-control I try to stay vigilant about physical dependence. There was a brief period in college (when I was drinking pretty heavily) when I became somewhat physically dependent on it... it's not fun and not something I would repeat willingly. And having chewed tobacco for 10+ years and successfully quit, I would say that I know what dependence feels like. Ironically it is sometimes after the long nights of hanging with friends, and drinking steadily (but not excessively) over many hours that I feel the hints of cravings the next day. And I've always nipped that in the bud with a few days of abstinence. Put another way, if I find myself craving a beer at 10am to take the edge off, I know I better check myself immediately.

It's easy for some of us to become consumed with the things that make us feel good (booze, food, sex, whatever) but I feel like we owe it to ourselves and the people we love to be moderate. Personally, I like having something to look forward to at the end of the day-- whether whiskey, ice cream, dark chocolate (sometimes all three ) and especially time to unwind and talk with my wife after the kids are in bed. A drink or three can be part of that but I don't think it has to be.

Another point: for me, it's more about the whiskey than alcohol. I'd much rather drink whiskey than anything else (save the occasional beer or whatever) and if I don't have access to something that I enjoy drinking, I just don't drink.

Re: What is a typical night?

Since this thread has turned towards alcoholism...

My name is Sky, I'm an alcoholic. I come from a long line of Professional Drunkards, and I'm just carrying on the tradition. I carry bourbon with me wherever I go, always trying to make sure that everyone around me is heading towards alcoholism as well.

I am what you call a functioning alcoholic, meaning that I can still make it to the liquor store and back without getting a DUI. Lately, the UPS guy has made my drinking life much easier.